It's How It's Given That Counts
by suzie2b
Summary: The Rat Patrol is trapped with some Germans by a militant group.
**Disclaimer:** _ **The Rat Patrol**_ **is not my property. They come out to play sometimes, then I send them home.**

 **It's How It's Given That Counts**

 **By Suzie2b**

 **An uneasy truce had been formed when a small column of Germans and the Rat Patrol were trapped together by a band of rogue militants, made up mostly of Arabs along with some Americans and Germans who had deserted, in the ruins of a bombed out village. Their only way out was now blocked and they were outnumbered two-to-one.**

 **The commander of the eight Germans was a Hauptman Peters, who luckily spoke English. The captain's men didn't think a truce was necessary and argued that the three Americans and one British soldier should be taken prisoner. But the captain had made the truce and insisted they would abide by it.**

 **Tully leaned close to Moffitt and whispered, "What are they arguing about?"**

" **The captain's men don't like the truce. They feel that since they outnumber us, we should be taken prisoner. Fortunately, Captain Peters is insisting that the truce be honored."**

 **Hitch whispered, "He doesn't seem to have a very good handle on his men."**

 **Troy said, "Button it and keep your eyes open. Tully, see if there's a way to get on the roof."**

" **I'm on it, sarge."**

 **As Tully headed for the staircase, Captain Peters said, "Müller, gehen mit ihm."**

 **One of his men reluctantly followed Tully up the stairs, where they found a trap door in the ceiling. Using an old broom stick, Tully pushed the door open and saw daylight. They dragged a table over and Tully went up first. He looked around, then signaled the German to join him. There wasn't a lot of cover, but they managed to crawl to the edge of the roof, where there was a three foot riser made of stone.**

 **Tully carefully peeked over and a bullet immediately ricocheted off the stone near his head. He ducked down and looked at the man next to him. "That was close."**

 **Even though Müller didn't know what the American had said, he could guess and his eyes were wide as he nodded.**

 **They crawled back to the trap door and Tully dropped down onto the table. Müller made the mistake of standing up part way before sitting on the edge of the opening. A shot rang out and Müller dropped like a rock into Tully's arms. The bullet had gone through the man's head just below his helmet. Tully laid Müller on the floor and went downstairs.**

 **As everyone looked at him, Tully said, "They've got at least one sniper on a roof on the west side."**

 **Captain Peters asked, "Where is Grenadier Müller?"**

 **Tully sighed. "Took a bullet in the head. I left him at the top of the stairs."**

 **The captain relayed the information to his men and sent two of them to bring the body downstairs. As they returned, one of them angrily accused Tully of getting the young German killed. "Sie erhielt Müller getötet!"**

 **He looked at Moffitt, who frowned and said, "Never mind, Tully. It wasn't important."**

" **He's saying it was my fault, isn't he?"**

 **Moffitt took Tully's arm and tried to guide him back to where Troy and Hitch were at the only window.**

 **Tully looked at Troy. "It wasn't my fault, sarge. He stood up and made himself a target."**

 **Troy nodded as he pushed away from the window. "Take it easy. We're not blaming you. Just relax and keep your eyes open at the window."**

 **The angry German said, "Sie versuchen, uns einen nach dem anderen."**

 **Captain Peters turned and said to the soldier, "Das ist durchaus ausreichend, grenadier!"**

 **Tully swung around and looked at Moffitt, "What did he say?"**

 **Moffitt hesitated as he eyed the German private. "He thinks we're going to try to pick them off one at a time."**

" **I've had about all I can take from that guy."**

 **Troy frowned. "Tully! The window … now!"**

 **He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Then he turned and walked across the room to the window. Tully leaned against the wall on the opposite side from Hitch, who asked, "You okay, Tully?"**

 **He nodded as he stared out at the street. "Yeah … fine."**

 **Captain Peters said to Troy, "I am sorry for what Grenadier Herrmann said, sergeant. He and Müller were good friends. I know your man did not get him killed."**

 **Troy sighed. "Don't worry about it, captain."**

 **###########################**

 **The day wore on with sporadic gun fire from both sides. Two of the Germans had taken over for Hitch and Tully at the window.**

 **Troy said to no one in particular as he looked out at the waning daylight, "Maybe they'll get tired of waiting and leave after it gets dark."**

 **Captain Peters shook his head. "These are militants, sergeant. They think nothing of killing anyone that does not believe as they do. I know of this group. There are both Germans and Americans with them. They will wait us out. They have nothing but time and nothing to lose. In the morning, if we are still here, they will most likely rush us."**

 **Hitch scowled. "You mean they're not just Arabs out there? There's American and German deserters working with them?"**

 **The captain nodded. "That is right."**

 **Tully said, "That means they know how we fight and what kinds of weapons we carry."**

 **###########################**

 **As soon as it was dark, Troy said, "Tully, go back up top. See if you can spot their sniper with that infra-red scope you acquired a while back."**

 **Tully nodded. He got the scope out of the box they'd brought in from the jeep and attached it to his machine gun. As he headed for the stairs, Captain Peters pointed to one of his men and said, "Sie gehen mit ihm."**

 **The soldier shook his head. "Nein! Er wird mich getötet!"**

 **The captain got angry. "Sie gehorchen meiner direkten Auftrag, Soldat!"**

 **Tully didn't need to know German to know what was going on. "That's okay, captain. I'll be all right on my own."**

 **Hitch asked, "Want me to come cover your back, Tully?"**

" **Thanks, but I'll be fine."**

 **Tully went upstairs and hoisted himself through the trap door. He crawled to the edge of the roof where he'd been earlier and carefully peeked over the riser. Clouds obscured the moon, making the night an inky blackness. Tully got up on his knees and scanned the rooftops with the night-vision scope. It wasn't long before he had his quarry in his sights. One shot was all he needed. He continued to scan the area and then went to street level. Tully fired twice more and took out two hostiles that assumed they couldn't be seen.**

 **Then there was a shot that came from behind him. He felt the burn as the bullet hit his shoulder. Without hesitation Tully swung around and fired off a burst of machine gun fire.**

 **Troy, Moffitt, and Hitch listened as the single shots were fired and knew that Tully was doing his job. Then there was a shot that didn't sound the same just before the burst from the machine gun. And then there was silence.**

 **Troy frowned. "Hitch, go check on Tully."**

 **He hurried up the stairs and Moffitt took up a position about half way up. Hitch stuck his head up through the trap door just enough to take a quick look around before pulling himself up to sit on the edge. He could see a figure lying nearby as the clouds uncovered the moon and then when he looked towards the west side of the roof he saw that Tully was down.**

 **Hitch crawled quickly to check on the guy that Tully had obviously shot and who was very dead. Then he stayed low and hurried to Tully. He checked for a pulse and was relieved when he found it. Hitch dragged his unconscious friend over to the trap door. He stuck his head through the opening and saw Moffitt. "Tully's been hit."**

 **Moffitt hurried to the top of the stairs with Troy right behind him. Once Tully was lowered down, Hitch went back to collect the machine gun and scope.**

 **Troy and Moffitt got Tully down the stairs and onto the floor. They laid him on his stomach and Moffitt tore his shirt open where the bloody hole was while Troy grabbed a flashlight.**

 **Captain Peters stepped over. "Will he be all right?"**

 **Troy said, "If we can get the bleeding under control, he will be."**

 **Moffitt glanced at the captain. "There's a medical kit next to that box. Would you get it, please?"**

 **As Captain Peters handed the med kit to Moffitt, Private Herrmann said, "Geschieht ihm Recht."**

 **Before the captain could respond to the private's comment about it serving Tully right that he got shot, Moffitt told them angrily that they were all cowards. "Sie sind Feiglinge! Jedem von euch!"**

 **Captain Peters agreed and raged that they would all be put on report. "Sie werden im Bericht für diese aufmüpfige Verhalten!"**

 **As Troy and Moffitt worked on Tully, they all heard three distinct shots from above. A minute later Hitch came down the stairs. "I took out three more of them." He knelt at Tully's feet. "How is he?"**

 **Tully managed a whispered, "I'm fine."**

 **Troy, Moffitt, and Hitch smiled, glad that their friend was awake.**

 **###########################**

 **With the bullet out of Tully's shoulder, Moffitt bandaged the wound before he and Hitch helped him to sit up. Tully groaned as he sat back against the wall.**

 **Moffitt asked, "Do you want some morphine, Tully?"**

 **He shook his head. "How 'bout aspirin?"**

" **Coming right up."**

 **As Moffitt got the aspirin and water, Hitch smiled and said, "Next time you'll take me up on my offer, won't you?"**

 **Tully nodded slowly and managed a bit of a smile. "Did you get the gun and scope?"**

" **Yep. And I used 'em to get three more of them."**

" **Good work."**

 **Tully took the two aspirin with a swallow of water as Troy knelt next to him. "Think you can handle a gun?"**

 **Tully grimaced and started to push himself up with his good arm. "Yeah, I'm good."**

 **Troy put his hand on Tully's chest and made him sit back down. "Not now. We'll need all hands on deck when it gets light. For now just rest."**

 **Troy went back to the window where two of Captain Peters men were standing watch. He looked out at the darkness for a few seconds, then turned and went back to sit on the stairs.**

 **The captain leaned on the stair's railing. "You take good care of your men, sergeant."**

" **We take care of each other. We have to."**

" **And they follow your orders without question. I admire the trust they have."**

 **Troy looked up at the captain. "If we didn't trust each other, we'd all be dead."**

 **Captain Peters nodded and sighed. "I wish I had what you have with my men. They tend to argue with me. At times they refuse my orders." He shrugged. "Perhaps I am in the wrong job."**

" **Well, not everyone's cut out to be a leader. Or maybe you just need to take control and not let them argue or refuse your orders. Sometimes it's how you give the order that counts."**

 **The captain thought about it before he said, "Yes, I think you are right, sergeant. I need to be more assertive."**

 **###########################**

 **The sky started to lighten as Moffitt and Hitch stood at the window. They could see movement outside.**

 **Moffitt said, "They're moving in, Troy."**

 **Troy knelt next to Tully and put a hand on his uninjured shoulder. When he opened his eyes, Troy gave him a machine gun. "You ready to go?"**

 **Tully nodded and let the sergeant help him to his feet.**

 **Captain Peters ordered his men to stand ready. "Bereit zu kämpfen!" They stood up slowly, as if contemplating not doing it at all. "Wenn Sie nicht wollen, zu kämpfen und euch erretten, dann übernachten Sie hier und sterben! Es ist Ihre Entscheidung!"**

 **Troy asked Moffitt what the captain had said and he replied, "He gave them an ultimatum. Either fight and get out, or stay and die."**

 **Troy looked at Captain Peters and gave him a little smile as his men scurried to get ready to fight.**

 **As the shooting started, two men dressed as Arabs dropped down through the trap door. Tully was the first to see them and cut them down before they could start down the stairs. Then he ran up to close and block the trap door. He stood on the table and reached for the handle when he saw three more coming across the roof in his direction. Tully fired and hit all three with a burst from his machine gun. Then he pulled the trap door down and blocked it with the broom handle.**

 **###########################**

 **When it was over, whoever was left of the militants were running away. Captain Peters lost two of his men in the fight and another was wounded.**

 **With the battle finished, the truce was over. Following Private Herrmann's lead, the captain's men turned their guns on Troy, Moffitt, Hitch, and Tully.**

 **Private Herrmann said, "Jetzt die Waffenruhe ist vorbei. Sie sind jetzt unsere Gefangenen."**

 **Captain Peters told them the truce was over when he said it was and to put their guns down. "Der Waffenstillstand ist vorbei, wenn ich sage, es ist vorbei. Legen Sie Ihre Gewehre."**

 **The other men did as they were told, but Herrmann balked at the captain's orders. "Sie können nicht erlaubt zu entkommen!"**

 **Troy asked Moffitt in a low voice, "What's going on?"**

" **The private wants to take us prisoner and Captain Peters isn't having it."**

 **The captain said, "Wenn Sie nicht tun, was ich bestellen, werden Sie mit der Meuterei."**

" **He's threatening the private with a charge of mutiny."**

 **Private Herrmann said, "Sie sind sich ihrer Pflicht, indem Sie gehen."**

 **Captain Peters decided he'd had enough. "Grendadier Herrman, sie unter Arrest und findet für Kriegsgericht. Nehmen Sie ihn in Gewahrsam genommen.**

 **One of his men took the gun from the private and two others escorted him to one of the halftracks, where he was tied up.**

 **Moffitt said, "He's headed for court martial."**

 **Captain Peters and Troy looked at each other and gave a nod. Then they both turned and walked to their vehicles.**

 **Tully slipped into the passenger seat of his jeep as Moffitt asked, "How are you feeling?"**

 **Tully grimaced as he tried to find a comfortable position. "I think I'm ready for that morphine now."**


End file.
